Tattletales
by Dixie Dewdrop
Summary: Can Tony get away with subterfuge concerning his health if he combines charm with his deception? This is part of my Here and Now series.
1. Against Medical Advice

Against Medical Advice

Doctor Brad Pitt did not bother to mask his disappointment and impatience, but allowed his voice to rise as he spoke. Using his forefinger, he pointed it dramatically at the patient before him. "Last time, Tony, and I mean it. If you ignore or modify my orders again- even by a single word, I will pick up the phone and apprise Agent Gibbs and Doctor Mallard of your behavior."

The target of the threat, Special Agent Tony Dinozzo, regarded the physician with trepidation. The usually affable Dr. Pitt had evidently reached his limit of patience, and Tony had never dealt with him so upset.

He could not decide on the appropriate tone he needed to respond and calm the good doctor.

"Listen to me," Brad continued, his jaw clenching and his eyes narrowing as he directed Tony's attention towards him, "and I mean listen. For the second month in a row test results show that your lungs appear compromised. Now, the evidence that you did not comply with my directions- that you intentionally ignored my prior instructions- appears right over there in that set of xrays. If I have explained it to you once, I have certainly explained dozens of times the fact that your encounter with YPestis will demand regular medical checkups and appropriate treatment for the rest of your life, Tony."

He stopped to gather his thoughts and Tony took advantage of the pause to find a way to soothe the doctor's upset.

Grinning, he leaned his head to one side. Normally he could circumvent trouble by relying upon his natural good looks. Over six feet tall and with an excellent physique, his long lashed green eyes sparkled as he appeased the man. "Ok, I hear you- really I do. I also think that perhaps you interpreted my response as nonchalance earlier when..."

Brad interrupted, leaning up against the examination area's sink and crossing his arms across his chest. "I do not want to hear…"

"Wait," Tony interjected, "let me finish, please." He flashed the doctor a brilliant grin. "I know you think I am not taking your advice seriously, but in actuality, I plan to follow your instructions to a tee from this point."

Brad shrugged out of the sleeves of his white coat and hung it by the sink. Dressed in casual pants and a shirt, he regarded Tony skeptically.

Encouraged by the gesture, Tony elaborated. "Yes, until you see no trace of fluid in my lungs, I will refrain from going out after dark when the cool air gets damp. I know to take my health seriously."

Evidently that proved acceptable because Dr. Pitt nodded. The senior field agent sat up straighter and moved to the next point. "Further, should I find I have even the slightest fever, I will immediately put myself to bed to rest and give myself a chance to fight it before it worsens."

Brad blinked and pursed his lips, evidently weighing the sincerity of the plea.

Sensing he had missed something critical, Tony drummed his fingers on the examination table and concentrated. "Wait! At least three times a week -even if I feel well- I will undergo a breathing treatment with the thingy thing and the medicine." He smiled jubilantly at recalling that last bit, his green eyes sparkling with his excitement at his success.

"Nebulizer," the doctor contributed, softening his stance a bit with Tony's obvious attempts to reassure and follow the medical directions.

"Right you are," the agent agreed, ending his argument with the kill shot. "You can relax now, because let me assure you that I have the medicine dosages right there with the machine."

A pause followed that stretched several seconds, and Tony glanced hopefully at the physician. It was such a childish, charming expression that Brad laughed out loud. "Ok, I will let you off the hook today. But believe me that it will not be pretty if you come in here again in this shape."

Scared the doctor might change his mind about the reprieve, Tony hurriedly slid off the table and grabbed Brad into an extemporaneous hug. "You are the man, Dr. Bradley Pitt! I might just forget the whole college broken leg fiasco with what you have done right here today."

An hour and a half later he slid into his seat at his agency workplace, NCIS, or Naval Criminal Investigative Service, as quietly as he could.

Glancing up pointedly from the case file he studied, Jethro Gibbs, Tony's boss and mentor, frowned at the entrance and narrowed his eyes.

It took no complex interpretation to know what that look meant. Tony had gone off grid for more than two hours and yes, Gibbs had taken note.

He squirmed in his seat, but refused to acknowledge Jethro's glare. The last thing he wanted was for the man to discover his mission and recent whereabouts.

Gibbs would consider Tony's health decline a result of his agent's neglect of his well being, and that would anger the older man. Should he realize that Tony had deliberately kept his boss in the dark the intel would backfire with unwelcome repercussions for the young agent.

Marine sniper turned team leader Leroy Jethro Gibbs possessed a strangely protective paternal streak for Tony, as well as for Abby, the agency's forensics scientist.

Busying himself with minutiae in the report he had worked on that morning before he left, Tony spent the rest of the afternoon scrambling to stay under his boss's radar.

He could only hide for so long, though.

To make up for his earlier transgression he outdid himself at home that night, voluntarily undertaking several tasks in the House of Gibbs, the home he shared with his boss and Abby.

Strangely enough, Jethro did not mention the earlier incident at work.

Tony certainly had no intention of reminding him, and congratulated himself on his narrow escape.

Falling asleep that night Tony stretched luxuriously and congratulated himself on his secret keeping.

Five weeks later Special Agent Anthony Dinozzo visited Bethesda once again. Pulling open the door he shook his head slightly and straightened his shoulders. No matter what, he did not want to appear under the weather when Brad examined him.

Moments later the agent could not resist an audible sigh of relief after the charge nurse informed him that Dr. Pitt had gotten tied up in a surgery upstairs, so the doctor on duty would examine him instead.

How lucky could a man get?

Tony practically ran to the hospital's outpatient examination area.

This was the best news he had been given since Brad had ordered him back to Bethesda at regularly scheduled intervals.

Tony reviewed the past few weeks in his mind.

Though his intentions had been admirable when he left the last time, he felt decidedly stronger three days after following the doctor's orders. Since the treatments cost him a chunk of his after hours free time, and required some effort on his part, he sacrificed them. However, two days ago he realized with a shock that Brad would have no doubt he had slacked when he looked at him during the next appointment.

Tony smiled charmingly at the substitute and congratulated himself upon his good luck.

He had escaped the Dr. Pitt- I – know- you- have- not- taken-your-health-seriously- damper on his afternoon, which meant he could launch into an early start on his Friday night plans. He had looked forward to his very attractive and smoking hot date and to the new club they planned to visit near downtown, and Saturday's activities held just as much promise.

Brad's replacement, an older doctor with a mustache and beard, barely spoke. He grunted instead, from one task to the other, checking Tony's lungs with the same interest he elicited while monitoring the agent's reflexes. Other than answering the few direct questions the physician asked, Tony stayed silent in an attempt to appear both serious and responsible.

After all, he had once described his own boss along the lines of a functional mute, so handling this doctor required a minimum of effort.

He could deal with taciturn.

The medic ordered no extra tests or xrays, then called in the nurse to set up the next appointment. Dinozzo jogged out of the hospital's doors, silently giving thanks for the reprieve and the freedom to kick off his weekend a bit early.

The night did not disappoint him. In fact, it delighted him.

Saturday Abby invited him to join her and her friends at a party later in the evening towards midnight. He declined, regretfully, citing his own prior arrangement. Sometimes Abby's crowd redefined the definition of partying, and he had his own motives for a private night with his date.

The two worked hurriedly that morning to complete their own rosters of chores. Having lived with their boss for as long as they had they had learned that he would never allow them leave to enjoy recreational pursuits without tending to their duties first.

Nor would they ask.

Gibbs had drummed his expectations into their heads, by his own brand of teaching, until no doubt remained over what he deemed the conditions necessary to earn an evening of fun.

Tony had just finished his lunch when the front door opened and Doctor Ducky Mallard called out a greeting. Using the greeting as a chance to exit, Tony took a gulp of his iced tea, hurriedly grabbed his dishes, and grinned charmingly at his boss and Abby.

"Ok, then, I will see you two much, much later, mi familia. It looks like you and Ducky have plans, Boss, so enjoy yourself and try not to embarrass Abby or me."

He smirked in Jethro's direction.

Noting Tony's imminent departure as he neared the three, Ducky contradicted him. "Not so fast, Anthony- I brought company with me."

Turning to acknowledge and greet the visitor, Tony's face paled instead. Right behind the good Doctor Mallard, positioned in that no nonsense stance Tony knew well, stood the unmistakable figure of Doctor Brad Pitt.

Tony's green eyes widened. This did not look or feel like a socially pleasant visit.

Sensing the atmosphere of the room change, Abby glanced swiftly from one of the men to the other, guessed the target of the stopover, then jumped to her feet. "Excuse me, gentlemen, but I need to finish some things upstairs."

Without waiting for a reply, she departed, turning to cast a sympathetic glance at Tony before she hurried upstairs.

Grasping a lifeline, he turned to follow her.

Gibbs took a swallow of his coffee and raising his eyebrows, ordered softly, "Sit down, Tony."


	2. Miracle Cure

Miracle Cure

Trying to appear calm, the agent obeyed, but felt his stomach clench at the sight of Ducky and Brad together.

His first sense of unease had been on the money. This was not good- not good, at all!

Both physicians deliberately sat down in chairs, as well, nodding to Jethro as they did.

Evidently, the visit was no surprise and he had expected the guests.

Gibbs regarded Tony, who focused on the table top the moment he sensed Jethro's inspection of him. "No, Tony, look up here and tell me why you think we have company this afternoon," the team leader ordered.

Keeping panic out of his expression proved a hard task. Trying to quell his internal dread Tony grinned broadly and ventured, "Is it your birthday, Boss?"

"Nope," Jethro answered succinctly, swirling his coffee in the cup, "Try again."

Tony licked his lips, trying to buy time to decide how to keep his nervousness from showing. His boss could smell fear. "Ok, are they selling something, say door to door ice cream, vacuum cleaners, or magazine subscriptions perhaps?"

Not one man responded with the laugh he had hoped would deflate their deliberately unyielding body language. In fact, all three faces adopted even more severe expressions.

Swallowing, Tony ventured uneasily, "Boss, uhm, is this some kind of intervention here?" He steepled his hands to appear calm in his current setting, but the action failed.

He slid his hands into the pockets of his pants instead and clenched his jaw.

Several seconds of an uncomfortable silence followed.

Ducky leaned across the table to address him, bracing himself with his arms on the tabletop. "Anthony, we gather today because all of us need to discuss your health and review the precautions you need to take-"

"But have refused to practice or to follow," Brad interrupted, his irritation evident in his tone and in the way he crossed his arms against his chest. He practically throbbed with disappointment and exasperation.

"Right," Ducky agreed, his own voice deliberately copying the annoyed edge on Brad's. "Though you seem to approach your own personal well being quite casually, indifferently even, that does not prove the case with the three of us."

Licking his lips, Tony attempted to clarify the purpose for the visit. "So, that is why you came today? You drove here because of my fitness and you wanted to rat me out to Gibbs?"

Gibbs addressed that thought, aligning himself once and for all with the other two. "Apparently, instead of tending to business as I believed, as we all thought you capable of doing, and by this I mean your personal health, you have evaded, avoided, and gone off grid instead. So-"

"Boss, that is not fair, I…" Tony sputtered, wounded at the accusation.

"Interrupt me like that again and I assure you that your afternoon and evening will turn more miserable than I already guarantee them to be." Jethro leveled a gaze upon his protégé that demanded instant cooperation.

Tony threw himself back in the chair dramatically, but wisely, remained silent.

Ducky regarded him speculatively.

"Anthony, Brad informed me that he has given you instructions for the last two months to follow up mid month with me so that I can assess you between visits. I may have approached the dusk of my years, but let me assure you that my memory has yet to fail me. You have not only ignored his orders, but have avoided me, as well, in an ill planned attempt to do as you want." The normally good natured Ducky scowled in Tony's direction, clearly upset at the insubordination. "The last few cases have kept me busier than normal and evidently you have taken advantage of my preoccupation to skip out on these necessary wellness checks."

Tony made eye contact with Ducky and had the grace to look embarrassed.

He glanced around the table at the other two men.

Catching Jethro's upraised eyebrows he tried to concoct a wise response. "Actually, the health of one NCIS Agent can not remotely compare to the dedication you practice with our military members, Dr. Mallard. They need you more than I do. I felt it more important for the good of the nation-"

Gibbs slammed his palm down on the table. "Just how angry do you want me to get?" he interrupted, his voice rising with each syllable.

Tony sputtered to a stop, knowing better than to answer the question or to continue with his response to Ducky.

His heart began pounding. Now he had Jethro really angry.

Brad turned to Gibbs, his jaw set. "I gave him chance after chance to take care of himself and did not alert either of you. I trusted him but he abused that trust. He not only ignored my orders, but continued to do what I explicitly told him not to do, and acted as though the breathing treatments and medication were simply an inconvenient whim of mine."

"What was the conclusion of Anthony's most current report from you?" Ducky straightened his glasses and waited for Dr. Pitt.

Almost on cue, Abby innocently bounded down the stairs and peeped into the room. Jiggling her car keys she announced brightly, "I will see all of you handsome men later. I have some afternoon plans and I need to go."

All of the men murmured their good byes, and she shot Tony a genuinely sympathetic look before leaving.

Brad finally responded, turning to face his colleague. "Actually another doctor checked him while I operated on a patient, but he sent me a message to make sure I touched base with him. Sadly, after reviewing his findings, I discovered a further decline in Tony's health from the last time I personally checked him. His lungs just can not continue to function with any degree of normalcy when compromised."

A silence of several seconds followed while the listeners considered Dr. Pitt's words.

Tony squirmed uncomfortably in his seat.

"Ok, Brad, what do you want to happen now?" Gibbs rubbed his chin.

"I want," Brad answered emphatically, his voice rising with each sentence, "Tony on breathing treatments every single day until I assess him again at his next check up. I want him home more and out less until his physical health makes a dramatic, turned around improvement. I want the prescriptions I give him taken when I have ordered them taken each and every time. I want that."

"His checkups should take place every two weeks now, instead of once a month," Ducky contributed.

"Right," Brad nodded.

Gibbs drummed his fingers on the table and studied Tony appraisingly as he listened to the medical advice. "Done," he announced decisively, his voice firm.

"Done what, Boss?" Tony stammered, not sure what Gibbs had in mind.

"I meant done as in a wish granted, done, Tony. You will comply with everything Brad and Ducky want," Gibbs directed, "because I do not plan to revisit this issue again."

"Thank you," Brad responded, smiling jubilantly at Ducky. Gibbs had backed them as they knew he would. "Both of his doctors genuinely appreciate the unity here."

"Not a problem," Gibbs assured him, "not a problem at all."

Tony scrambled to translate the implications to practical life. "Wait, Boss, what does that mean?"

Jethro leaned back in his chair. "Immediately after supper each evening you will sit by me for half an hour and complete your breathing treatment. I will accompany you to each and every future medical visit, thus guaranteeing you meet twice a month with Dr. Pitt. Effective right now, you are benched and will spend your time at NCIS on desk duty and not in the field. Whatever extra curricular activities you planned will need rescheduling to the time between getting off work and suppertime, because you will not leave this house from the time we eat dinner until we leave for NCIS in the mornings. That, Anthony, is what that means."

Ducky and Brad clapped, and Doctor Pitt could not hide a smirk.

Crushed, Tony opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. Arguing would not work, and refusing to follow instructions would infuriate his mentor further.

No, the fault belonged with him, and in truth, he had known that gambling with his health meant he could possibly lose.

Tony paled as he considered the ramifications.

He had created a personal fiasco, a crisis that his boss now planned to fix.

"Any questions?" Gibbs raised his eyebrows, clearly not expecting any but daring Tony to respond.

Tony did. He licked his lips and ventured, "Boss, I think-"

In the tone of voice Abby and Tony knew meant Gibbs had reached his boiling point, Jethro interrupted. "I asked if you had a question. I certainly did not invite your opinion."

Sighing loudly, Tony glanced appealingly from Ducky to Brad, then settled his gaze upon his boss. "How long, Boss- how long do you have in mind for me to do all of what you just said?"

"Until Brad and Ducky say so," Jethro snapped, evidently finished with the details and minutiae of the powwow.

Still hoping for some hint of a reprieve, Tony ventured, "Boss, please-"

"No, whatever you want to ask, the answer is no. This new schedule starts right now." Dismissing Tony with a nod he turned to the other two men and invited, "Do you need to add anything? Will this take care of the problem?"

"Nope," Brad grinned, "you said it all, and yes, indeed, it will solve the problem."

"Absolutely," Ducky agreed, "and though I realize you consider us tattletales, now, Anthony, the truth remains that you could have avoided all of this by simply listening and following directions. Really, the fault lies upon you."

Without a brilliant comeback, Tony puffed out his lip in a pout instead, accepting that he had suffered a defeat in the hands of the wily physicians.

Jethro stood up and stretched leisurely before moving behind Tony's chair. Placing a hand on Tony's shoulder he patted him, then reached up and tousled his hair. "The option of playing with your life affects people concerned about you, and you have got to understand that you have an obligation to us to take care of yourself. You brought this one on yourself, Tony, but I will definitely finish it for you."

With the conversation concluded from his point of view, Jethro walked out of the room and jogged downstairs to the basement.

Ducky and Brad stood together, and but not before bestowing sympathetic glances towards their patient.

"One day you will accept that you matter to us," Ducky predicted, smiling at his colleague. "That day will be none too soon for me, Anthony."

"Which is why we had to tattle," Brad explained, "because that man downstairs is the only one capable of controlling you."

That certainly was the truth.

Tony nodded.

Both men turned to go, and opening the front door, Ducky soothed, "Anyway, with the proper care you should be back to good physical form in a few weeks. Jethro will loosen the reins then, once you approach all of this responsibly."

After they left Tony remained at the table several minutes, reviewing the turn of events in an afternoon which hours before, had held such promise. Clearly now he pretty much would function for the next few weeks under a house and work arrest as defined by Gibbs. Taking away his free time and the opportunities to both socialize and enjoy some entertainment would prove a bitter way to pay for the negligence towards his well being.

He closed his eyes.

Bad as the consequences appeared, the fact remained that Jethro had reacted out of his own fear, and because he cared.

Perhaps the tattletales had realized he needed to understand that.


End file.
